3 Ways to Deal with Lead Based Paint in Your Home

If your home was built prior to 1990 there’s a chance you have lead paint somewhere in your house, whether it's inside or on the exterior. We’ve got an easy rule of thumb for determining how likely it is you have a problem with lead paint, and where you might find it.

Does your home have lead based paint?

If it was built before 1960, there’s likely a layer or two of lead paint on your interior walls.

If it was built between 1960 and 1990, you may have lead paint on exterior walls.

If it was built after 1990, you should be in the clear – it’s very unlikely you have any lead paint in your home.

While these guidelines are helpful, the only way to know for sure if you have a lead paint problem is to test for it. If you do have lead paint in your home, there are several options for dealing with it.

How to conduct lead paint removal in your home.

Encapsulation is a viable choice if the lead paint is in good condition, and you're not planning any future renovations. Encapsulation involves covering lead paint with specialized products intended to create a safe barrier over the lead paint. While this can offer you a relatively quick and inexpensive solution, encapsulation doesn’t get rid of your problem altogether. If you want to do any renovations later on, the lead paint underneath is still a hazard to you and your family.

Replacement is often times useful when you find lead based paint on relatively small areas such as windowsills or door frames. It involves removing the lead painted materials and replacing them altogether.

Removal of lead paint is one of the most common methods for eliminating exposure to lead. There are several different techniques that can be used depending on where it’s located, what type of surface it’s on, as well as what type of paint it is.

Whichever route you choose to go for removing lead paint from your house, always remember to have a professional come in and do the work. It's important to take all proper precautions for your personal health as well as protecting the rest of the house from being contaminated with lead paint dust. The same can be said for an asbestos testing or removal. If your home was built before 1990 it's essential to also test for asbestos before starting any renovations!

The Dangers of Lead ﻿﻿Paint ﻿﻿﻿﻿in ﻿﻿Your﻿ ﻿Home

Inhalation of even a very small amount of lead paint dust is harmful to everybody's health. However it's particularly dangerous to the health of young children, pregnant women, and pets. Exposure to lead pai﻿nt can lead to a wide array of health issues as well as delayed development in children. This is why it's critical to have professionals help you remove any lead paint found in your home.

Ready to deal with your lead paint?

If you know you have lead paint in your home, and are interested in learning more about your options for removing it, feel free to give us a call. We're always happy to offer advice. We can also come to your house, test it for lead paint (if you haven't already done this), and go through your options for removal.